Free visas for many – but not for tourists
Although the Schengen countries say up to 80 percent of Serbians can get visas free of charge, they lose this privilege if they travel as tourists.
Sunday, 22.06.2008.
13:24
Although the Schengen countries say up to 80 percent of Serbians can get visas free of charge, they lose this privilege if they travel as tourists. The only benefit stemming from the announced visa regime facilitation is for Serbians traveling to Greece and Spain for this year's vacation on a group visa. Free visas for many – but not for tourists Greece, which expects to issue some 350,000 visas to Serbians this year, and individually charges them EUR 35 each, will not charge group visas, while any group traveling to Spain will have to pay a total of RSD 5,000. A Greek embassy in Belgrade spokesman stressed that with the current visa regime, and the group visa option, "more than 70 percent of tourists will this year travel to Greece without paying for their visas". Still, the travel agencies that apply for the group visas charge tourists some EUR 10 for this service. 17 Schengen countries have decided earlier this year to allow Serbian students, scientists, journalists, and those visiting family members to receive free visas. "The easing of the visa regime does not benefit those who need it the most, and that's tourists," Dejan Stevanovic of the Kalodukas travel agency says. However, those who do not wish to go through the visa ordeal can spend their summer holidays in Turkey or Egypt. The visas these countries are issuing are obtained at the border and cost EUR 15 and 14 respectively. The National Association of Tourist Agencies recently conducted a survey which showed that if the visa regime the EU has imposed on Serbia were to change, most Serbian tourists would choose Spain and France over Greece, currently their number one destination abroad.
Free visas for many – but not for tourists
Greece, which expects to issue some 350,000 visas to Serbians this year, and individually charges them EUR 35 each, will not charge group visas, while any group traveling to Spain will have to pay a total of RSD 5,000.A Greek embassy in Belgrade spokesman stressed that with the current visa regime, and the group visa option, "more than 70 percent of tourists will this year travel to Greece without paying for their visas".
Still, the travel agencies that apply for the group visas charge tourists some EUR 10 for this service.
17 Schengen countries have decided earlier this year to allow Serbian students, scientists, journalists, and those visiting family members to receive free visas.
"The easing of the visa regime does not benefit those who need it the most, and that's tourists," Dejan Stevanović of the Kalodukas travel agency says.
However, those who do not wish to go through the visa ordeal can spend their summer holidays in Turkey or Egypt. The visas these countries are issuing are obtained at the border and cost EUR 15 and 14 respectively.
The National Association of Tourist Agencies recently conducted a survey which showed that if the visa regime the EU has imposed on Serbia were to change, most Serbian tourists would choose Spain and France over Greece, currently their number one destination abroad.
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